Picked up a Bentley Series 10 Cherry Burst LP copy yesterday. I have to say, I'm floored by the beauty of the finish. Looks like it's Laminate but with like 12 super thin layers but with a flame maple cap. Triple binding on body and headstock, block MOP inlay.

darn thing plays really sweet as well with low easy action. From the little I can gather on the web these are probably early 80's MIK. I haven't plugged it in yet to test the HBers.

It still has a sticker on the back of the neck reading LPS-150CS and the neckplate says Series 10 professional and has a sn.

Hope you don't mind me posting this here but this seems to be the only place to get expert opinion about SLM imports.

These are indeed Late SLM products and only available for a short time as well. MIK is correct and that version was the top of the line for the series 10 line. Very nice guitars and very solid. They seemed to have saved the money on the electronics end but that was the pro line so it had much better electronics than the standard Series 10. The pickups sound Ok but the guitar is a prime candidate for upgraded pickups and tuners. Great score and enjoy.

_________________Always give thanks for everyday, It may be your last so Rock On Semper Fi!!

8) These are indeed Late SLM products and only available for a short time as well. MIK is correct and that version was the top of the line for the series 10 line. Very nice guitars and very solid. They seemed to have saved the money on the electronics end but that was the pro line so it had much better electronics than the standard Series 10. The pickups sound Ok but the guitar is a prime candidate for upgraded pickups and tuners. Great score and enjoy.

That's great to hear. It seems like it could use a new set of strings but otherwise setup and intonation seems spot on. Even the tuners seem to hold tune pretty well. They are corroded on the actual part you turn though. And I thought the fretboard was rosewood but now that I look at it it looks like it might be ebony.

8) Very nice top on that one for certain. It's a keeper, congrats on the score. The ply body is very well done and the binding is top notch as well. Enjoy

Thanks again for the reply. Any idea which factory these came from? What do you think about the fretboard? You think it's ebony, or just darkly stained rosewood?

I'll put up a better picture of the ply. I like the way they don't paint over it to hide it but rather stain and gloss it making it part of the beauty of the finish. And the guitar is incredibly well balanced and not that heavy, probably 8.5 lbs I'm thinking but haven't weighed it yet. I have ply start clones that are way heavier than this guitar.

I thought of another question if you don't mind. I'm going to change the strings on her and when I do I'm kind of tempted to take off the neck and look for any markings, but on the other hand it plays nicely now and it's likely the neck has been undisturbed for 30 years or so so I don't want to change it up or add more finish cracks at the neck pocket (there's already a small one on the cutaway side). What's the general opinion of taking off necks simply for curiosity?

I have a MIK Hohner Les Paul copy from around the same era so it looks like I'm becoming a Korean made LP collector inadvertantly .

If the fret board is like the one I had you will notice that if you start cleaning the board that it will lighten up very much so I would be inclined to believe it to be a rosewood board. It is a very smooth and nice playing board and the frets are nice as well. Enjoy

_________________Always give thanks for everyday, It may be your last so Rock On Semper Fi!!